Compare car insurance in WA and Perth
To compare car insurance in Western Australia, choose a cover level, then get quotes from several insurers for the same car, drivers, excess and valuation. Injury cover, called Motor Injury Insurance, comes with your vehicle licence from the Insurance Commission of Western Australia, so the policy you shop for is the one that pays for damage to cars and property.
What sets WA apart is scale. It recorded 183 road deaths in 2025, a rate of 6.0 per 100,000 people against 4.8 nationally, and much of the state is a long way from a repairer. Perth has its own pressures, from theft at home to the storm of March 2010. This page covers both.
By Better Rate Mate Editorial Team · Last reviewed
Compulsory cover in Western Australia
In Western Australia, "third party insurance" can mean compulsory third party cover, which is part of Motor Injury Insurance in WA and paid with your vehicle licence, or optional third party property damage, which covers other people's cars and property.
Motor Injury Insurance comes from the Insurance Commission of Western Australia, so there is no CTP insurer to choose. For the other seven schemes, see how CTP works in every state.
WA car insurance at a glance
State-level facts from federal and Western Australian sources that bear on what you pay and what you should insure against.
| Item | Western Australia |
|---|---|
| Compulsory injury cover | Motor Injury Insurance, included in your vehicle licence; no insurer to choose |
| Provider | Insurance Commission of Western Australia (ICWA) |
| No-fault catastrophic cover | Catastrophic Injuries Support scheme, for motor vehicle accidents on or after 1 July 2016 |
| Road deaths, 2025 | 183 (188 in 2024), or 6.0 per 100,000 people |
| Motor vehicle theft victims, 2025 | 4,913, down 13% on 2024; 58% taken from residential land, the highest share of any state |
| Largest recorded Perth weather event | 22 March 2010 storm: $1.05 billion insured loss at the time |
| Older drivers | Annual medical assessment from age 80 to renew a licence |
What Motor Injury Insurance covers
Motor Injury Insurance is WA's compulsory third party cover. It is provided by the Insurance Commission of Western Australia under the Motor Vehicle (Third Party Insurance) Act 1943 and is paid as part of your vehicle licence. Alongside it, the Catastrophic Injuries Support scheme provides treatment, care and support on a no-fault basis to people catastrophically injured in motor vehicle accidents in WA on or after 1 July 2016.
Neither pays anything for vehicle damage, yours or anyone else's. See Motor Injury Insurance in WA explained for the scheme in detail. For damage and theft you need optional cover, which is what the rest of this page is about.
Car insurance in Perth
Perth is where most WA theft happens, and the ABS figures show where: 58% of stolen vehicles in WA in 2025 were taken from residential land, the highest share of any state. Thieves are taking cars from driveways and garages, not just from car parks and streets. Keep keys out of sight and reach, and keep theft cover even on a garaged car.
Perth's biggest weather event in the Insurance Council's records is the storm of 22 March 2010, when severe thunderstorms across Perth and the south-west caused more than $1 billion in insured losses at the time. It is a reminder that a Perth policy without storm and hail cover is a gamble on the sky. When comparing car insurance in Perth, give the address where the car is actually kept and check the hire car and choice of repairer terms.
Distance changes which features matter
In a compact state, towing limits and accommodation benefits are details. In WA they decide what actually happens after a crash on a highway hundreds of kilometres from the nearest town. Before you buy, check the policy's towing limit after an accident, whether emergency accommodation and travel home costs are covered, and how long a hire car is provided.
Roadside assistance is a separate product with its own limits. If you tour regularly, compare RAC WA membership levels and insurer add-ons on their country towing distance, not just their price.
Road safety in Western Australia
WA recorded 183 road deaths in 2025, down from 188 in 2024. Its rate of 6.0 deaths per 100,000 people is the third highest in the country after the Northern Territory and Tasmania, and well above New South Wales and Victoria at 4.1. Long distances at high speed, fatigue and animals on the road are part of the picture. For insurance, the lesson is that comprehensive is the only level that pays for your own car after a single-vehicle crash, such as leaving the road or hitting a kangaroo, where there is nobody else to claim against.
Weather and fire events in WA
WA's catastrophe history is less about repeated hail than the eastern states, but when events hit, they hit hard.
| Event | Date | Claims or loss |
|---|---|---|
| Perth storm (CAT103) | 22 March 2010 | $1.05 billion insured loss at the time |
| Tropical Cyclone Seroja (CAT213) | April 2021 | 8,914 claims, including 270 motor |
| Perth Hills bushfire (CAT211) | February 2021 | 1,342 claims, including 84 motor |
How to find cheaper car insurance in WA
Practical steps that cut the price without leaving you short:
- Compare quotes with the same excess, drivers and agreed or market value, so the price difference is real.
- Check your renewal against new quotes. ASIC-commissioned research found 74% of people with a renewal notice were quoted more than the previous year.
- Declare realistic annual kilometres. A Perth commuter and a regional driver doing long highway runs present very different risks.
- Pay annually if you can; Moneysmart reports instalments can cost 10% to 20% more over the year.
- Do not pay twice for roadside assistance if you already hold RAC membership. Check what each actually includes first.
Rideshare, classics and seniors in WA
A few WA rules affect how you insure specific cars and drivers. A vehicle used to carry passengers for an on-demand booking service needs a passenger transport vehicle authorisation from the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure (DTMI) and the correct Motor Injury Insurance class, and a standard private car policy will usually not cover that use, so tell your insurer. Owners of vehicles at least 30 years old in an approved club can use the Concessions for Classics scheme, limited to 90 days of use a year (60 for club events and 30 for personal use), which suits a limited-use classic car insurance policy. Drivers aged 80 and over need an annual medical assessment to renew their licence, and must drive within any conditions it sets for their cover to respond.
What to watch for
- Motor Injury Insurance covers injuries, not vehicles. Damage needs optional cover.
- More than half of WA car thefts in 2025 happened on residential land. Keep keys hidden and theft cover in place.
- Check the towing limit and accommodation benefit before a long trip. City-sized allowances do not reach regional WA.
- A kangaroo strike is only covered under comprehensive.
- Using your car for rideshare needs both a PTV authorisation and an insurer that knows about it.
Common questions
Who has the cheapest car insurance in WA?
No insurer is cheapest for every driver. The price depends on your postcode, car, age, claims history and chosen excess, and insurers weigh these differently. Compare several like-for-like quotes to find your cheapest.
Which car insurance is best in Western Australia?
The best policy is the one that covers the risks you face at a price you can keep paying. For most WA drivers with a car they rely on, that is comprehensive with an excess they can afford and towing and accommodation benefits that fit how far they drive.
Is third party insurance compulsory in WA?
Compulsory third party cover is, and you already pay for it: it is part of Motor Injury Insurance in WA, which comes with your vehicle licence from the Insurance Commission of Western Australia. Third party property damage, which pays for damage you cause to other people's cars and property, is optional.
Which website gives the cheapest car insurance?
No website covers every insurer. Moneysmart notes that insurance comparison websites are usually paid by the insurers they compare and do not include every product, and that one underwriter can sell near-identical cover under different brand names at different prices. Get quotes on identical cover from several sources, including insurers that sell direct.
Does car insurance cover hitting a kangaroo in WA?
Comprehensive generally does, as accidental damage. Third party property damage and third party fire and theft do not cover damage to your own car from an animal strike.
Is car insurance cheaper in regional WA than Perth?
Often, because theft and collision frequency are lower outside the city, but it varies by insurer and postcode. Regional drivers should weigh the price against towing, accommodation and hire car limits, which matter more when repairers are far away.
About the figures on this page
Road deaths are calendar-year counts from BITRE; theft figures are victims of motor vehicle theft recorded by police, published by the ABS; catastrophe claims are from the Insurance Council of Australia. We do not quote premiums, because prices change constantly and depend on your car, postcode and driving history. Compulsory injury cover is explained in our CTP guides for each state.
